‘The Good Wife’ Season 5, Episode 2 ‘The Bit Bucket’: TV Recap

One of the nice things about “The Good Wife,” is that old clients come back time and time again like old friends. Usually grouchy, creepy friends.

That’s the case this week with Chum Hum, the search engine from 2011 that was sued for handing over a dissident’s IP address to the Chinese government. Oh and its owner, Neil Gross, has promised Cary that Chum Hum will be coming with them to their new secret firm. Without Chum Hum, there is no firm.

Neil is unhappy because there’s a gag order from the National Security Agency forbidding him from talking. He says he’s been fighting their requests to turn over his site’s customer information to the U.S. Government but he can’t talk about it.

The NSA is, of course, listening in on all the Lockhart/Gardner phone calls and finds out they are being sued. FYI, according to The Good Wife, most of the NSA employees listening into the phone calls are hipster 20somethings who love the talking goat video and wear ironic t-shirts.

On the side, the new secret Cary/Alicia law firm is in a little bit of trouble because they need $140,000 to put down on their new digs.

In the meantime, almost-governor Peter Florrick is trying to secure a state Supreme Court judge’s seat for Diane Lockhart. But the chief justice is mad that she stood by Will and Eli wants Diane to trash Will so she can get the judge job.

Also, the Florrick campaign has a “gift room” and a former intern helped himself to some of the things and is now posting them on Ebay.

In court, Carey and Alicia bring in another web site which has not received a gag order. That web site owner gave the NSA emails and phone calls. The government says they have super secret information which only the judge can hear. Then he rules for the government. That does not go over well.

Eli Gold arranges to meet the intern who stole the gavel. It turns out to be Becca’s, Zac’s old girlfriend. She claims she found it at a flea market, mmhmm, and threatens to have Eli arrested if he doesn’t pay for it. How did Becca get it? Ah, she’s been Skyping with Grace.

There are like 20 moving parts this episode. My favorite actress of all time. Stockard Channing is here as Alicia’s mother, causing all sorts of trouble including giving the $140,000 deposit toward the new secret firm. Whoops, David Lee found out about the check and is quickly figuring out what’s going on.

Back in court, Alicia/Cary are arguing that Chum Hum has lost a lot of money due to the NSA. The NSA says it’s because there’s a group that denies the Holocaust on the website that caused people to flee. Now Chum Hum says it lost a technology contract with Freedom Fighters in North Korea for $14,000.

The NSA also thinks a terrorist is calling Alicia Florrick’s home, but it’s really Zac’s girlfriend calling his house and crying.

The judge awarded Chum Hum their $14,000 but forbid both sides from talking about how much they got. That means Neil Gross could boast about fighting the government.

And although Peter Florrick stood up to the chief justice and told him he’d better accept Diane, Diane didn’t know about it and called the reporter. It looks like she did trash Will anyway.

Next week: Everyone votes to boot Diane from the firm for trashing her partner.